REVIEW: PINKNOISE'S "FLESH AND BONE"

Photo credit: PINKNOISE

Rock band PINKNOISE is back with both tenderness and rage on new EP "FLESH AND BONE". It landed April 17 and it talks about being unabashedly yourself, fighting mental illness, and there being a reason you're still walking the Earth after tragedy.

Consisting of vocalist Kacey Foxx, the seven track, Hiram Hernandez produced (blessthefall, Magnolia Park, Weathers, and Asking Alexandria) EP is something to get excited about. It has a little bit of everything. Listeners can hear PINKNOISE's journey from rage (TALKTALK) to frustration (RAIN) to tenderness (WHY YOU SURVIVED). 

PINKNOISE has only been around for a year, but they've already gotten five million streams. Their song "RAIN" got airplay on SiriusXM's hard rock station Octane and on their Test Drive channel. They also opened for Orlando based hard rock band Magnolia Park on their recent tour. They feature on a Magnolia Park song called "Crave" released back in March as well.

According to PINKNOISE's press release, they've been looked up to as "a beacon of representation for the LGBTQIA+ community in an often disproportionately male-dominated music scene." PINKNOISE has made it clear, however, that all are welcome "as long as you come with an open mind and leave any judgment at the door."

Let's get to the standouts! 

"RAIN", the second to last track, deals with the feeling of desperately wanting to be like everyone else, but knowing that you're not. The listener can see that in the lyric: I just wanna be like everyone else/I don't really feel right losing myself. 

It's also about the frustration of wanting help but wanting it not to make you worse. It also deals with how hard it is to fight for that help while mental illness is weighing you down: Can't swallow my pride and say I'm unwell/I need some help/but no one can tell. There is a seamless feature from metalcore band Wind Walkers, who SiriusXM called one of their "future five artists to watch in 2026." The screams are on point in this one too.

The second track on the EP, SING WITH ME, also stands out. It sets an uneasy tone and then transitions into a drum machine (with drums coming later). It's about being so infatuated with someone that it's unhealthy, like in this lyric: Drain me of my life, I've got nothing left to lose. The song later continues with the line "your skin's serotonin", which is an exceedingly clever line. The way Foxx's voice glides on "take me away" really sells the emotion of the song as well. Zhavia, an R&B singer-songwriter who shot to fame after competing on "The Four: Battle for Stardom", has an extended feature on the song. She sings all of the second verse, two choruses, and part of the bridge near the end. Her voice blends well with Foxx's and is a welcome addition to the song. She really shines on the first chorus she sings on.

WHY YOU SURVIVED, the EP closer, stands out the most of all seven tracks. According to Foxx, the song is about "my reminder to [their friend Gabriel] that he has so much life and love left to give and that the reason he survived his [near fatal] accident is because his story is so far from finished.” This really shines through in the lyrics: 

Just listen close to the sound/your heart is still beating/the scars are finally healing/someday you’ll let go of the pain that you carry inside/I’ll show you the reasons why you survived…we’ve still got today…your future’s waiting for you now. 

The tender but driving music will make the listener feel right at home. Again, the emotion in Foxx’s voice really takes the listener to a special place.

"FLESH AND BONE" truly takes listeners on a journey and this writer can't wait to see where it goes.